Equalizing attachment



March 1, 1932.

B. c. ROCKWELL EQUALIZING ATTACHMENT Filed April 30, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l llmm v March 1, 1932. B1 c. ROCKWELL 1,847,983

EQUALT ZING ATTACHMENT Filed April 50, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' ZIMWWW $51, TM L -WL March 1, 1932. 5, ROCKWELL 1,847,983

EQUALIZING ATTACHMENT Filed April 30, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 n a. I f

Patented Mar. 1, 1932 warren srArEsPA E T .oF ice IBYRD c. ROCKWELL-F SHEFFIELD, ALABAMA, nssrenon. or ONE-HALFTO BRADLEY LUMBER COMPANY OF ARKANSAS, OF WARREN,

' ARKANSAS Application filetl April 30,

This invention relates to wood cutting apparatus and in particular to equalizing machines of the general type wherein the work known as stock is carried through the mechanismon moving conveyors and brought into engagement with cutting mechanism for trimming off the ends of the stock.

. In this class of apparatus it is desired to obtain proper square cutting'of the stock such as floor boards, blocks, and the like, and 1t' has heretofore been the practice to utilize abutments fixed on the work conveyors againstwhich the work abuts to'determine, its position'relative to the cutting mechanism with which the apparatus 1s assoclated,

This practice has not proved satisfactory for the reason that the conveyors'which are in- I variably arranged in parallel spaced relation, quite frequently travel at difierent rela- 2o cutting machinery wherein a positive holding means is provided for-the stock which insures an absolutesquare out as the workis fed through the machine; to provlde an equalizing attachment for wood cutting machinery whereby the work is guided into engagement with the cutter V mechanism by means which prevents any possibility of shifting as the work is carried under the cutters; to provide a work positioningattachment arranged to be carried by conveyor chains of double equalizing wood saw machines and which attachment is provided with means for maintaining the same in a 5 true predetermined positionwithrespect to the line of cut irrespective of relative shifting between component elements of the conveyor chains; and generally to provide a novel improved guide attachment for insuring an absolute square out at the opposite of the present invention are: to provide an equalizing attachment for wood EQUALIZING ATTACHMENT 193i. Serial No. 534,031.

ends of stock passed through a double end 7 cutting machine. H

Otherobjects will be understood by those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that the disclosure of. this specification and the drawings relates to a preferred, practical embodiment of the invention constitutin'g'the best means thus far devised for reducing the invention to practice. It is to'be understood that the disclosed details are not intended as limitations inconsistent with the scope of r the invention as claimed,

. In the drawings: I j 'Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section through the tail end portion of a conventional double lend cut machine and directed toward the fixed side of the mechanism.

Figure 2 is substantially'a top plan view of theendless conveyor mechanism withwhich the machine is equipped andillustrating in detail the particular mounting of the equalizing attachment of'the present invention.

. igure 3 is a sectionsubstantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. v

Figure 5 is a group perspectiveillustrating the component element's making up the equalizing guide attachment of the invention.

as mounted on the conveyor :mechanism of the machine and illustrating diagrammatically the position of the guide inrelation to shifting movement between component elements of the conveyor mechanismfl ARKANSAS, A CORPORATION 0F 1 Figure 6 is a plan view of the attachment vAs shown in Figure 1, the. machine proper comprises at its'fixed side a base or standard 10 carrying a side bar 11 at one end of which, known as the tail end of the machine, is

mounted the shaft 12 of a drivensprocket wheel'13 carrying thereon an endless con.-

veyor of the link chain type made up of link sections 14 spaced apart by intermediate solid block sections 15. It will be understood that a sprocket wheel similar to the sprocket 13 is mounted in the opposite end of the machine, known as the feed end, whichis' not shown. r Supported on the side rail 11 and arranged slightly above the top plane of travel of a conveyor, is a traveling compressor bar mechanism generally indicated as at 16 and which carries presser blocks 17 made up in the form of an endless conveyor operating over driven end sprockets 18 and 19. The function of this pressure mechanism is well understood by those skilled in the art, its object being to cooperate with the work conveyor chains for maintaining the Work, such as stock comprising floor blocks and the like, in proper position for passage beneath the rotary saw mechanism, one such saw being shown at 20 in Figure 1 and the location of which is well illustrated in Figure 2 wherein the saw 21 of the opposite side of the mechanism is shown. It is to be understood that the opposite or movable side of the machine is similarly equipped with work conveyor chain and sprocket mechanism and presser bar mechanism which presser mechanism is not shown herein.

. As best shown in Figure 2, the endless conveyor mechanism upon which the work is carried through the machine consists of two parallel conveyor chains one-of which is arranged at the fixed sideof themachine and comprises the sections 14 and 15, while the other chain is located at the adjustable side of the machine and consists of link sections 22 spaced apart by intermediatesolid block sections 23 corresponding to the sections 14 and 15 of the opposite side chain. In the operation of machinery of this type it has heretofore been the custom to dispose upright lugs upon each of the solid block sections of the respective conveyor chains to provide abutments against which one side edge of the block to be cut is positioned so that the block is carried through the machine extending transversely of the conveyor chains beneath the presser mechanism at opposite sides of the machine and accordingly beneath the saws 20 and 21 so that a square cut may be imparted at the edges of the blocks.

Due to the fact that for various reasons such as take-up adjustment, improper bearing and the like, it is quite often the case that the conveyor chains while traveling theoretically together and in the same direction will quite often vary in speed so that at times one chain will be traveling in advance of the other. When this occurs the work mounted on the conveyor will be shifted out of the perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal meridian of the conveyor and the ends of the work will engage the cutter members 20 and 21 at an angle resulting in an improper edge cut and a defective product.

In'the present invention the conventional lugs hereinbefore referred to are eliminated and are replaced by transversely disposed metal straps 24 having apertures 25 and 26 at their opposite ends to which threaded fastening elements such as screw "bolts 27 are disposed for attaching the respective ends of the straps to the conveyor chain block sections 14 and 23. The heads 28 of the screw bolts 2? bear in the countersunk apertures 25 and 26 and with respect to the attaching elements 2'? the apertures 25 and 26 are slightly enlarged in order to provide a tolerance of movement between the straps 24 and the respective block sections of the conveyor chains. This tolerance of movement permits sufi'icient operation of the mechanism as, particularly as shown in Figure 6, one side chain may advance with respect to the other without placing an undue strain on the transversely disposed straps which will assume the angled position as indicated in Figure 6. The aperture 26 opens to the end of the strap in order to provide the necessary tolerance of movement with respect to the attachment in the conveyor chain blocks.

At its central portion each strap 24 is pivotally connected with a guide member 29, preferably by a screw bolt 30 having its shank threaded into a socket 31 formed in the guide andheaded against the upper face of a countersunk aperture 32 provided in the strap 24. In assembling the strap and guide these elements are arranged so that the guide is disposed substantially at a right angle With respect to the strap. p

The guide member 29 comprises an elongated bar which is square in cross section iaving oppositely disposed flat side faces 33 and 34. The upper faces of the bar intermediate its ends is provided with a raised section 35 having a flat upper face which engages against the under face of the strap 24 seating in channeled recess 36 provided transversely across the under face of the strap as shown in Figure 5. The width of the channeled recess 36 is made larger than the width of the bar guide 29 sothat the strap .24 may shift fora limited movement with respect to the guide 29, pivoting on the shank of the screw bolt 30- 1 At one end the guide 29 is formed with an entrant head 37 having angled side faces providing in effect an arrow head at the forward end of the guide bar with respect to its travel through the mechanism.

Cooperating with the strap 24 and the guide bar 29 there is employed a work holding element, conveniently termed a master lug, formed as a plate 38 having a length coincident with that of the strap 24 over which the plate is adapted to be mounted. In order to accommodate this mounting of the work engaging member 38 over the strap 24, the under face of plate 38 is channeled as at 39 to receive the body of the strap 24 and the width of the channel is made greater than the width of the strap 24 in order to permit a tolerance between the parts whereby the strap 24 may have a limited shifting movement beneath the plate 38, pivoting on the shaft of thebolt-z 30;. ifThe Iside -edges =40 and 41: of the plate 38- extend downwardly to; approximatelythe plane ofthe upper. face 0f the giuicle bar29;,the1s'ides 40 and being the raised portionl35-onzl-the'guide barri 1 of the bolt by which the strap24 isVat-' .tached respectively to the guide bar29 and In;the case of the recesses 42 the'irdimensions', are such that nQi'clearance is provided between the recesswallsand the raisedpor-v tion of the guide bar so that when thestock holding plate 38 is engaged over the strap 24 and the guide bar there is no permissible shifting movement between the plate 38 and the guide bar. The plate further anchored to the guide bar by means of securing bolts 43 passed through the'body of the guide'bar andthe sides of plate 38 in thethreaded apertures 44. In order to provide forfready accessibility to the bolt heads 28 and thehea d the conveyor chains, the plate 38 is provided with apertures 45 which register with the aforesaid bolt heads and permit access thereto;

portion 35 of the guide bar 29am secured thereto by the pivot bolt 30, whereupon the plate 38 is positioned in a like manner and secured by the attachment bolts 43. The unit thus formed is then attached to trans versely aligned solid block links in the coniveyor chains, as best indicated in Figure 2.

The attaching bolts 27 are engaged in the 7 solid block link sections of the respective side chains so that the master lug or holding plate 38 and strap" 24 will be disposed transversely. between the conveyor chains with the guide bar 29 depending from the unit ata pointbetween the conveyor chains. 8

Rigidly secured to thefixed side rail 11 ofthe machine is abracket 46 havinga lateral flange 47 upon which is mounted a guide preferably in the form of a solid block having s a length approximately coinciding with the upper face of the guide rail block 48 is formed a with a squared channel 49 forming a guideway through which the guide bar'29 is adapt! ed to move as the conveyor is operated. The depth and width of the guideway 49 is such that there is no permissible variation or play permitted the guide bar 29 whichengages the guideway along its bottom and opposite side faces 33 and 34. By this construction it will readily be apparent that with the guide bar engaged in the guideway 49 there can be no possible'shifting of the work engaging member 38 with respect to the guide rail al- In, assembling the attachment for opera-, tion, the strap 24 is positioned overthe raised. v ,7

jen d- -of the machine the various; S6Ctl0I1S of rail member 48. This guide rail memberisf h xi fthough :therej-is a 1 permissible i. movement ac 1 ciorded; the: strap 24,- .1

,The: guide rail ;48 and guideway 49 are, so

n di n the machine that the. guide Provides p of; travel for. the" guide" bar ship/to the lineiofcut-iof the saws 20 and121.

' The forward face of the work engagingmember g38 oomprisingits side 40; is formed for flat bearing engagement against one stralght edge-of apiece of fstockindicated as at. 50 ;ll'l Flgl1I6 -;1.: @It is apparentfthatwith the zsto pps i n d tho e id ge be ri g chine The fixed relationship ofthe stock engaging" member "38 and the guide bar 29 together with the. fixed-relationship impart? e fieith s i rn vemeetef th ie idebera l ifiw rou hi u deway+4 .Pror de ap s i "{tive means whichyprohib s "any 7 a ofshifting of the conveyor, .ln jthe pperation ,of the machine a desired i uinbei: b tiba h i e t 6 ti' be v are s c e weenthe c y r lle n and-a h feed te le e elliv e s stinsi f f r' l r i ositioned. m eesagem nt wlth th r a d sides of: the. stock [holding members 38.1 As

,70 I29 whichis in fizm'd tfrue,parallelrelation:

-20 and 2lg' during thejoperation of thjemailive ii a s w llSiw s ive yfenten an v engage the-guide bars within-the guideway 49, conveyor "ithentravels salon g: it

immaterial whetherpr not one side chain aerate my r t ,l ast' rt a l he the f ,on fi ec i r e i l't e st ap 24. mm}; rockson lts li votto compensate for the dif v ferencein speed. Even though the strap 24 id s e l pivetithe l an b .l Plb e shift'ingifof the stock-for'the'reason that the 7 guide lbar 29 caI h0tpII 1OveI any direction plan whichis injtrue paral lel to the line fof c at the (saws 20," andj2-l. This arrangementof parts therefore insures an absolute square jc ut at "the fop posite ends of the stock, something which has .not. heretolfore been possiblefdue' 'to the. fact, of f the relative shifting betw WI W 'L fIt"is swasga eiaaaasaa [may bejemploye'd 'upona single chaincon-f vyor j f desired orthe guide may be employed with bel t coriveyors merely by providing for the reQuisite clamping of the parts against the oppositejsidesfjof the f'belt," {As ,the'lmachines {with [which the "attachment of this in-I .vn on p are designed .to. be used are ca able of the or: i adjustment "to" accommodate difierent lengthsofzstock, siich as by shifting thefmq m e s depe tha' -iaehinela all from the fixed side, thexdiflerence in adjustment is accommodated by the use of straps and stock engaging members of diiierent lengths. A further adjustment may also be obtained through anadjustment of the position occupied by thewguide rail block 48 'With'resp'ect to the fixed side of the machine.

' I claim: i v 1. An equalizing attachment for wood sawing niachines'comprising a guide bar, a supporting member movably attached thereto, astock engaging member disposed over said supporting member'and havinga rigid connection to said guide bar, and means for attaching said'supporting member to the stock conveyor mechanism of a wood sawing machine. p

2. In a wood cuttingmachine having parallel spaced cutters-and a conveyor movable therebetween for carrying stock into engagement with said cutters, a stock engaging abutment, a -guide-member rigidly'secured loose connection therewith at each end of the bar, a guide pivotally connected to saidbar intermediate its ends,-means on said machine for engaging said guide to'maintain the same in parallel relationship to said cutter, and a stock engaging element disposed transverse- ,BYRVD o. RooKW EL to said abutment, and conveyor attachable means having a loose engagement with said 7 abutment and guide'member.

3. In a wood cutting machine having a cutter and a traveling conveyor for moving stockinto engagement therewlth, a gulde rail secured to said machine in fixed parallel relation to the'line of cut of said cutter, stockengaging means, supporting means adapted for attachment to said conveyor transversely thereof and having a loose engagement with said stock engaging means, and a guide secured to saidstoclrengaging meansfor cooperative engagement wlth sa1d guide M11.

4. In a wood cutting machine having parallel spaced cutters and a stock conveyor movable thercbetween and comprising spaced endless chains, stock holding members dis- I posed on said chains'jand extending transversely thereof, guide means 'carr1ed by sa1d stock holding members for mamtammg 4.5. said holding members in a predetermined relation with respect to the line of cut of said cutters, and means for supporting said holding members and guides between the chains of said conveyor, said supporting means having loose connection with said chains, guides,

and stock engaging members.

5. A stock guiding attachment for Wood cutting machines having a movable conveyor,

comprising a guide rail mounted in fixed relation on a machine, a movable guideadapted for sliding engagement with said rail member, asupporting member having pivotal connection with said guide and adapted for loose connection to the conveyor, and stock engaging means having fixed connection with said guide in a manner to permit movement of said supporting member with respect thereto.

6. In a wood cutting machine, a cutter, a conveyor for moving stock past said cutter and comprising sp aced parallel chains, a cross 7 bar disposed between said'chains and having 

